We Are The Cure
by JabberJaw217
Summary: Thomas/OC. Before Teresa, Eleanor was the first girl to arrive in the Glade, but after a rocky relationship with current leader Alby, Eleanor is banished to the Tree Grove, where she spends nearly a year in almost complete solitude. Then Thomas arrives, and everything changes. Eleanor may finally have the escape she's been wishing for. But what will happen after the Maze?
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, thanks for checking out my story! This is the first one I've ever shared, so please give me some feedback. I would honestly appreciate it, but do take it easy on me. I am a peach, I bruise easy. Just kidding. Anyways, I haven't seen many Thomas/OC stories in here and I really thought there needed to be more, so I hope you guys like this!

Side-Note: In my story, the set-up of the Glade is slightly different than the book. The Homestead is still in the Northwest corner, but in the Northeast corner are the animal pens, and Tree Grove is instead in the Southeastern corner. I picture the Tree Grove to turn into the forest where the Deadheads lie and Eleanor's hide-away (which you'll learn more about) is right in the middle hidden in the trees. The Deadheads and the Map Room remain the same as the book. And, of course, the Box is still right in the middle.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Maze Runner or any characters aside from Eleanor, Linc and a few other OC's. Maze Runner Trilogy belongs to James Dashner, I'm just borrowing it ;)

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We Are The Cure

Chapter 1: Green Beans, Blue Skies, & Brown Eyes

"Blue skies smilin' at me…" I sing quietly, digging the heels of my sneakers into the dirt at the base of the southern wall of the Maze, where I am laying in the grass in the only bit of sunlight I get on the edge of the Tree Grove. "Nothin' but blue skies do I see." I pause, noting that as always the words to the song are true; the sky is forever blue in the Glade. Lifting my right hand to my mouth, I take a bite of a crisp, crunchy green bean, of which I have a bundle to snack on and am very happy about it.

 _Thank god for green beans,_ I think to myself, taking another greedy bite. Ever since I've been banished to the Tree Grove with the Deadheads, I've had the day of new arrivals (AKA a brand new greenie is brought to the Glade via the Box) to look forward to, since it's the only time Linc can sneak away with supplies so that I don't starve for the month. Aside from the food he brings, he also gives me his company for as long as he can, and I look forward to that almost as much as the new rations. Being stuck in the Glade is hell on its own, but being banished to a corner with only yourself for company is a brand new form of hell. Yesterday afternoon, I heard the alarm bells in the distance and knew I'd be getting a visit from my favorite Glader. Sure enough, later in the evening when the celebration was well underway, Linc showed up with supplies and stories.

"Bluebirds singin' along," I continue absent-mindedly, wondering what the song of a bluebird sounds like, what a bluebird even looks like, "Nothin' but bluebirds all day long." I don't recall the rest of the words. It's really a miracle I even remember any part of a song at all, but when I got stung by a Griever back when I first arrived here, I regained some strange memories of my former life. Once I came out of the Changing, lucky to be alive, all I remembered was hearing this song playing somewhere in the distance as wires were stuck to my head by a man with a blurry face…

"You!" I jump at the sound of a voice not too far off from my resting spot.

"You're bad," The boy continues, his voice becoming louder and more frantic with each word he speaks, "You're bad! I saw you! I know you!"

"Just calm down," Another boy replies, and my interest is piqued, "I don't know what you're talking about."

I'm not allowed to be seen, I know that, but the Tree Grove has been my secret home for the past…let me see here…7, 8, 9…oh, that's right – 10 months now, I've been in the Tree Grove for ten months, and as far as I know everyone thinks I'm dead except for Linc, Newt and Alby. The green beans who arrived after we faked my death don't even know I existed; my name has been crossed off the wall so deep, all that remains of Eleanor is part of the E. At least, that's what Linc told me. As quietly as I can, I creep through the trees in the direction of the Deadheads, where I think the voices are coming from.

"Lies!" The first boy shouts, and now I'm certain I'm heading in the right direction. "You can't be trusted. You're one of Them. You're bad!" I'm close now, very close. In fact, I can see one of the boys in the clearing where the fallen Gladers have been laid to rest. He is fair-haired, average-height and practically foaming at the mouth in anger, panting and sweating and red in the face. "You're going to ruin everything! You never should have come here!"

For a moment, I think he's spotted me, and I crouch down behind some shrubbery, bracing myself against a tree for support as I squat as low as I can go while still keeping the boys in my visual. The second boy has his back to me, but is only six or seven feet away; it appears he was paying his respects to the Deadheads, or maybe he was just curious about them when the other boy showed up to fight. Usually the Tree Grove is abandoned by the boys, since a lot of them are creeped out by the dead, but some do venture in. I've been lucky no one has stumbled far enough into the grove to find my little burrow, even though it is pretty well camouflaged. It would be bad for me to be stumbled upon by one of the Gladers who doesn't know I'm still alive: Alby said if I ever showed my face around the Homestead again, or anywhere within his sight (which is basically everywhere except the Tree Grove), he'd banish me inside the walls of the Maze at dark, right when the doors closed, and everyone knows that's a death sentence. What's worse is he said he'd do it with his own two hands, and before that moment I'd never have guessed it'd be Alby to abandon me when I needed him the most. He'd always said he'd be there for me, no matter what, that we could get through anything together. He was wrong.

"Ben," the boy whose back is to me says cautiously, "That's your name, right? I'm Thomas. I saw you last night, remember? With Alby and Newt? I've never seen you before that, all right. That's the truth."

I roll my eyes. _This must be the green bean._ I think to myself, almost certain, _No one else would insist they've never met another Glader before. We all know that when we were brought here, our memories were somehow swiped, and all we've managed to retain is our first name. Who knows what happened to us or where we came from before? Who knows which of us were acquainted and which were not? For all this Thomas knows, he and Ben could have been best friends before this happened._ I enjoy making up scenarios on who we were before we entered the Glade, it was kind of my thing before my banishment. I would pick a random Glader and tell him all about his life before this mess, about his favorite foods and how he liked to spend his days. The boys liked my stories, even if we knew they weren't true. It helped lighten the mood for a while, and goodness knows we need that in a place as depressing as this.

"No!" Ben roars, charging at Thomas with the cropped brown hair, "You're one of them! You're bad, you're bad, you're bad!" He knocks the darker haired boy to the ground, dirtying his brand new clothes as a puff of dirt surrounds them upon impact. Grunting, Ben grabs Thomas by the collar and adjusts his body so all of his weight is leaning on Thomas' chest, keeping him crushed to the forest floor. Thomas kicks his feet, attempting to buck Ben off him, but Ben has the upper-hand and doesn't budge. He wraps both his hands around Thomas' neck and starts to squeeze, incomprehensible words spilling past his lips.

I straighten up as I see the loser of this fight turning red in the face. My eyes widen, darting around the Tree Grove in search of another Glader coming to their new brother's rescue, but there is no one to be seen. _Where is everyone?_ I start to panic, _Ben's going to kill the greenie! Where the shuck is everyone?!_

Thomas grabs hold of Ben's hands and tries to pry them away from his neck, but Ben is like a machine, he is not easing up in the slightest, and I can tell Thomas is losing strength with each oxygen-deprived second that passes. My hands twitch at my side as I stand there gaping like an idiot for a few more seconds. When I come to the realization that there's really no one coming to save this kid, I act on instinct. Reaching down to retrieve a decent sized rock near my foot, I take aim at Ben's head. I cock my arm back behind my head and swing it forward, releasing the rock at the exact right moment to hit Ben with a force strong enough to knock him clean off the newbie's body. His hands go slack as he is momentarily stunned, and Thomas scrambles away from him, gasping for air.

A split second later, I hear the tell-tale sounds of Gladers approaching as leaves are crunching and branches are breaking under the weight of passersby. I take one last look at the boy who was nearly strangled to death in the Tree Grove by the Deadheads and nearly jump out of my skin when his surprised brown eyes are staring back at me. I turn on my heels and run as fast as my feet can carry me back to my burrow, diving inside and curling up in a ball on the floor to contemplate my future.

 _He saw me._ I wrap my arms around myself and squeeze tightly, picturing in my head those chocolate brown eyes of the greenie who was never meant to see me. _What's going to happen to me now?_

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There's chapter 1, hope it wasn't too bad. It was short, but I promise the chapters will get longer. I just wanted to introduce Eleanor and her first sighting of Thomas. What did you think of Eleanor so far? You will learn more about her next chapter, for sure. Like when she arrived in the Glade and why she is banished to the Tree Grove. If you have questions or suggestions, please leave them in the review box below or send me a PM!

Thanks again for reading. Until next time…


	2. Chapter 2

Posted the first chapter the other night, and it hasn't had too many views yet, and no reviews, but since I finished chapter 2 I'm not going to hold out on you guys. Thanks for reading and I hope you like chapter 2. Please take a minute to leave me some feedback, if you have the time. Thanks in advance!

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We Are The Cure

Chapter 2: Not Ready To Die

 _Thomas POV_

Just when I'm seeing stars and feel as though I'm about to pass out, Ben's hands loosen around my neck and I use the last of my energy to rocket backward away from him and then I'm breathing in deep breaths of fresh air and rubbing at the stinging skin on my neck with my own two hands. First, I look to Ben, who seems as stunned as I am that he released me when it had seemed like his intent was to kill me a moment ago. Then, I look past his shoulder, and there in the shadows of the shrubberies and trees stands a…girl? In a flash, all I see is a blur of long blonde hair and then she is gone, and then I can hear footsteps approach.

Alby and Newt are standing over me now, asking what happened between Ben and I, even though it's pretty damn obvious he attacked me. Newt helps me to my feet while Alby interrogates a very confused Ben, who keeps rubbing the back of his head and stating he doesn't know what happened. Once I've regained my breath, I blurt out, "You attacked me!"

Ben blinks his eyes rapidly, shaking his head and appearing to be at a loss for words.

"Is this true, Ben?" Alby asks sternly, his dark eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"I…I…" Ben gulps but doesn't continue.

"You pushed me to the ground and started choking me," I supply for the prick, "Or do you not remember that?"

Just when I'm starting to wonder if this is some side-effect of the "Changing" that no one will tell me any more about, Ben mutters, "He's not to be trusted. He's bad. He shouldn't have come. He's bad. Alby, believe me. He's bad." Once he starts rambling again, I sigh in annoyance and walk a few feet away.

"You know the rules, Ben," Alby says, voice thick with disappointment, "You don't ever lay your hands on another Glader, ever."

After Alby's finished, I turn back and add, "If that girl hadn't shown up when she did…if she hadn't stopped him…he was going to kill me."

Newt and Alby's eyes are suddenly on me, filled with renewed intrique, and Alby questions urgently, "What are you talking about?"

Newt quickly reminds me, "There are no girls in the Glade, Thomas."

I falter for a moment, but maintain, "I saw a girl in the woods. I'm pretty sure she threw a rock at Ben's head. Then she took off." I look from Newt to Alby, "I know what I saw."

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 _Eleanor POV_

I arrived at the Glade at the end of what the boys refer to as the Dark Days; I was the Box's second delivery, and with me came the food supplies the boys so desperately needed. Before my arrival, the boys had woken up, fifteen of them, all laying on the grass surrounding the Box and not having a clue where they were or how they got there. They actually didn't know anything at all, except slowly their names returned to them. They hoped more of their memories would come, but they didn't. The first day alone resulted in the death of five of the boys. In their hunt for an exit, they all decided to explore to Maze to try and find a way out, but they didn't know the doors would close at nightfall, and four were trapped within the maze and never seen again. The fifth – George – was crushed between the North Maze door as he tried to get out and the rest of the boys could do nothing but watch him die right before their eyes. Over the next few weeks, the boys stayed away from the maze at nightfall, and worked on trying to survive. Before the end of the month, two more had died of dehydration. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by the Glade's first leader: Nick. At his side were Alby, Newt, Linc, Minho, Zart, Gally, and Siggy.

The first thing I'd heard as I awoke within the Box was Siggy's voice, "Oh-ho-ho guys, you have got to see this! Food! There's food!" His footsteps had jolted me awake further as he jumped inside and started pulling supplies out of crates and boxes, "Bread, meat, cheese; we can make sandwiches!"

"Pass it up," Nick had instructed, and Siggy obliged.

"Here's milk," He called out each item, "Water…big bag of apples…bunch of bananas." His voice grew closer as I blinked my eyes open and began wondering where the hell I was. "Ah shuck, there's green beans! So many green beans!"

I leaned up on my elbow, getting my first look at the dark-skinned boy who was so excited to see some green beans in a box, and asked groggily, "Who you callin' a green bean?"

The girlish squeak that left his mouth is something I still recall to this day, and it makes me laugh every time. "Oh – shuck! Nick, you better get down here."

"What is it, slinthead?" Nick's tall, lithe body dropped into the metal compartment with a resonating thud, and his sharp blue eyes quickly assessed the contents of the Box.

"It's a girl," Siggy said stupidly, gesturing towards the corner where I had sat up.

"I can see that," Nick replied, holding out a hand to help me to my feet. I cautiously accepted, and Nick supplied, "Welcome to the Glade. Do you remember your name?"

At the time, I hadn't, but it came back to me a few hours later, once I'd met the rest of the Gladers and they'd put together a feast. I was amazed they'd made it so long with barely any food, and that was when I learned of the seven dead Gladers. I felt sorrow for them, and pity that they'd had to see such death, but over time I saw my fair share of tragedy. In fact, the end of my first week in the Glade, a boy about fourteen named Martin was stung by a Griever and didn't survive the Change; it was horrific. A month after that, we lost another to the Change, and then finally we received a purple-serum when the next newbie arrived. We'd had something to combat the Griever's sting with, but it didn't stop the Changing completely, just made it survivable. I guess whoever put us in this place figured after losing nine boys to the Maze we needed something to ensure all of us didn't share the same fate. After all, we were put here for some purpose, weren't we? We just didn't know what the purpose was.

28 months after my arrival, and I still don't know what the purpose of us being here is. We've built ourselves a community, sure, but if they wanted thirty boys and one girl to repopulate a society or something, they probably should send a few dozen more girls in here. I've considered the possibility that we were put here as some sort of experiment, some human social experiment, or some science experiment gone wrong in which the Grievers were created and set loose. Something about the Maze is too organized, too elaborate, too intentional to have been a mistake though. So I've concluded that after more than two years of imprisonment in the Glade we have yet to figure out why we're held here, and being so far from an answer makes me feel hopeless we'll ever find an escape.

Of course, now that I've been seen by the green bean, Thomas, I probably won't be alive long enough for it to matter that we're forever stuck here in the Glade. Once Alby hears word of me being seen, he'll come for me, and then I'll be sent into the Maze. I should just accept my fate with dignity and walk myself in there now…get it over with. But I'm not ready to die yet.

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 _Thomas POV_

After hearing about the mystery girl who helped me get rid of Ben, Alby stormed off looking angrier than ever, and he hauled Ben off with him to the Slammer. Newt remained with me, asking if I was sure I was all right. He tried to lead me away from the Deadheads and the Tree Grove, but I wasn't having it.

"No, wait," I look back into the shadowed woods, "What's going on here? Who was that girl? I know you know. I saw the look you gave Alby, that wasn't the look of someone who had no idea a girl was in the woods, that was a look like…like a secret got out that wasn't supposed to."

"You ask way too many questions, greenie," Newt says with a sigh, turning away so his back is to me. "I've got no answers for you." He twists around to give me a warning, "And I wouldn't mention this girl again, not to Alby, not to anyone. No good will come of it."

Frowning, I decide to drop the subject for now, but I do have one more question. "What's going to happen to Ben?"

Satisfied that I'm not speaking of the girl any longer, Newt replies, "That's for the council to decide." Then he starts heading towards the homestead, "Hungry, Tommy? I think it's time for lunch."

"Yeah, sure. I'll be there in a few," I wave him on without me. _There's something I have to do first…_

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End of Chapter 2! It didn't end up being as long as I thought it would, but I'm working on making chapters a bit longer. Who knows what Thomas needs to do? Did you like the bit of background on Eleanor's beginning? Please let me know your thoughts. I'll gladly listen to your suggestions and try and fit them in the story. Working on Chapter 3 now!


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for checking out my story so far. You may have noticed that I've changed some things in the story, and while I plan to keep all the main story points of Maze Runner the same, I also plan to deviate from certain points in the story and change things up. I will be mixing pieces from the book with bits from the movie, and also some of my own ideas. I hope you guys enjoy my adaptation of this story, and I'm more than open to suggestions. Please don't be shy!

Also, I want to take a moment to thank my first 3 reviewers! You have no idea how happy I was to see those reviews. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In response:

Lola – I'm glad you love it! I hope you will continue reading :)

BookRain – Thanks so much! All will be revealed about Eleanor's banishment soon. I am doing a mix of the book and movie ;) I am happy you are following the story, and I hope to hear more about what you think of it.

Guest – Thank you, I hope you come back to read some more!

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We Are The Cure

Chapter 3: Questions & Answers

 _Thomas POV_

My plan had been to wait until Newt ducked into the Homestead to sneak back into the Tree Grove and find the girl that basically saved my life, but Chuck spotted me and ran over to ask for details on what happened between Ben and I. Apparently word travels fast in the Glade. The Slammer is located directly next to the Homestead, so it makes sense that the others would have seen Alby lock Ben up and wonder what he did to get there. Of course, with Chuck's undivided attention, I was unable to visit the Tree Grove, so I followed him to get something to eat. After that, the council met to decide Ben's fate, and I stuck around, needing to know what was going to happen to him. The look on his face as he attempted to choke the life out of me was maniacal, but I'm not sure I want him to die for it, and these boys don't seem very forgiving.

The council chose to exile Ben within the maze, at dusk. He will die for what he did. It doesn't sit well with me. I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that I just can't shake. Alby hasn't spoke to me since the woods, his face is cold and angry, although I can't say I've seen him wear a very different expression since I met him. Newt warned me to keep my distance until Alby approaches me himself. I think he's looking out for me, but it doesn't satiate my hunger for answers. This place is strange, but somehow it feels familiar; like I was meant to be here, I just have to figure out what for.

Maybe the mystery girl in the Tree Grove will help me find the answers I seek. She could be a piece of the puzzle. That's why, after Ben is exiled into the Maze and most of the boys are getting ready for sleeping, I slip away from the others and head towards the tree line. This time, no one stops me.

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 _Eleanor POV_

The burrow which has been my home for the past ten months was made with the help of Alby and Linc; mainly Linc since he's the Head Builder and also my closest friend. There are two entry points, both being holes in the ground not much wider than myself, and they are hidden by tall grass, fallen leaves, and a couple strategically placed moss-covered logs. The first entry point, which I refer to as the 'front door', is located about thirty feet from the stone markings of the Deadheads. It drops down about three feet, curves to the left for another three feet and drops down another two feet before opening up into my living space. The 'back door', as I call it, is a bit of a climb as it is a nearly vertical five foot drop; it makes for a great quick entrance, like when I was running from Thomas' brown-eyed gaze and dove headfirst into the burrow to hide.

The main living space of my burrow is located underneath and inside a large hollow oak tree. The tree itself is approximately four feet in diameter, so it is not a huge space, but I've never been claustrophobic so it suits me just fine. There is a green canvas covering that is laid out on the dirt packed floor as a rug, a small crate for a seat and a larger crate that serves as a table, one lone candlestick I use sparingly for light in the evenings, two supply shelves Linc built for me to keep my food and other belongings, and finally my hammock-bed made out of another thick canvas material and some rope. The hammock hangs a few feet off the ground and is quite comfortable despite the fact that I can't stretch my legs out all the way. When I'm inside my hammock-bed, I have two peek-holes to see outside with; one at the front of my burrow and one at the back. The tiny windows let in light during the day and help to circulate the air inside my living space. Outside the hollow oak tree, I have a camouflaged bucket which collects fresh rainwater to use for washing up, a tiny garden space which produces enough fruits and veggies to hold me over when I've run out of food between the greenies' arrivals, and my sun spot where I sit and soak up the rays about ten feet from the front door of my burrow.

After hiding inside until the sun goes down, waiting for Alby to come and announce my exile – which doesn't happen – I finally work up the courage to leave the burrow in the relative safety of the dark of night. Also, by this point I have to pee so badly I'm not sure I can hold it for another moment. After relieving myself, I return to my burrow for something to eat. I had been so on edge earlier that I forgot to eat dinner. I grab a roll, a chunk of hard cheese, and a sweet red apple, and then climb out the front tunnel to eat on the soft grass in the moonlight.

I've only just sat down when I hear approaching footsteps crunching through the woods. For a moment, I panic, even though the maze doors have closed for the night and even if Alby is here to punish me there's nothing he can do tonight. A moment later, I hear a short whistling sound that makes me relax; it's only Linc. He always gives a whistle as a warning, so that I know it's him. I whistle back, and soon his blonde, shaggy head appears out of the shadows as he steps into the moon's glow. He smiles down at me in that carefree way of his before joining me on the forest floor.

"Hey," He greets, patting me on the head and ruffling up my hair.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, not out of annoyance but curiosity. He never visits me this late.

Swiping my apple from my hand, Linc takes a bite before revealing, "Wanted to tell you something."

I take the apple back and give him my undivided attention. "Well…what is it?"

"Ben was exiled today," Linc tells me, getting right to the point. That's one of the things I like best about Linc. He's always direct, never beats around the bush, and I value his honesty. "He attacked the greenie."

Almost against my will, I look to the high walls of the Maze and imagine what Ben's fate might be. I shudder, and Linc throws an arm over my shoulder, pulling me close to his side for a moment. "Hey, it's all right. I won't let that happen to you."

I draw in a shaky breath before confessing, "He saw me, Linc. The greenie? I was there today. I heard Ben shouting, and I know I should have just stayed put, but he was going to kill him. I had to do something."

"The green bean saw you?" Linc repeats, his dark blonde brows furrowing together in thought. "Are you sure? Alby didn't say anything…"

"I'm sure," I reply, "He looked right at me."

"Maybe he thought you were a ghost," Linc teases, always one to find the humor in any given situation.

"And if he didn't?" I ask, directing him back into serious mode. "If he tells? Alby said –"

Linc cuts me off, "Forget what that slinthead said. You're not going anywhere, Elle. Except maybe out of this hell hole someday." He shoots me a crooked smile.

I attempt to smile back, but it comes across as more of a grimace. "I hope you're right."

"I better get back," Linc says reluctantly, "I wanted to keep you in the loop though." He climbs to his feet and dusts the dirt off his hands.

"Thanks Linc." I take his hand and use it as leverage to pull myself to my feet. Giving him a hug, I state, "Sometimes I feel like you're the only person who remembers I'm still here."

"Oh, he knows you're here," Linc states darkly, "And it drives him crazy."

"I don't want to drive him crazy," I shake my head, "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"I know, Elle, I know." Linc shrugs, "What could you have done, eh? He's just mad because he still wants you and he knows he's never going to get you back."

"He's the one who sent me here," I remind the blonde-haired teen, "If he wanted me back around, all he has to do is un-banish me. But he won't, because he can't stand to look at me. He can't stand me."

"He loves you," Linc claims. "But don't listen to me. He'll let you come back soon. I know he will."

I want to argue that it has been over ten months, and if he really wanted me back, he would have changed his mind by now, but I keep my mouth shut. It's not worth it. Alby is as stubborn as a mule; he won't forgive me. He doesn't know how.

"Goodnight Elle," Linc says softly, "I'll come again soon, yeah?"

I nod, "Yeah. G'night."

I watch Linc as he disappears into the shadows of the Tree Grove on his way back to the Homestead. Part of me wishes I could go with him, but another part of me isn't sure I could handle being around all the others after so long on my own. What if I forgot how to have a normal conversation? What if I'm not funny anymore? What if nobody wants me back?

A twig snaps and I'm drawn out of my thoughts. Pulling my gaze from the starry night sky, I ask aloud, "Forget something?"

The boy that walks into my vision isn't the one I was expecting though, and I gasp in surprise. This boy isn't as tall as Linc; in fact, he's only a few inches taller than myself. His cropped brown hair and dark brown eyes are familiar only because I've seen them once before. It's the green bean. He seems shocked to see me, even though he's the one who came searching.

"You shouldn't be here," I warn him, my eyes darting around the trees to see if we're alone.

"No one followed me," He says with a tiny frown, taking a couple more steps in my direction.

"It doesn't matter," I insist, putting up a hand to halt his approach, "If someone notices you're gone, if they realize where you went, you won't like what happens."

"What will happen?" The green bean questions, "Why are you here and not back at the Homestead? Why did Alby and Newt tell me there were no girls in the Glade?"

I sigh in exasperation, suddenly understanding why Alby always hated the introduction spiel with the greenies; they always have more questions than we have answers. "I can't answer that."

"No one wants to answer me," He seems discouraged, but he's not giving up, "You helped me today. You might have saved my life. I wanted to say thanks." He clears his throat, "I'm Thomas." He extends his hand and for a moment I simply stare at it.

"Eleanor," I supply, placing my hand in his and allowing him to give it a shake. I find myself smiling at the grin he gives me. He has a really nice smile, and like Linc's, it's contagious.

"Glad to meet you, Eleanor." Thomas says sincerely.

Quickly considering the consequences, I decide that things couldn't possibly get worse for me, so I take a chance and tell Thomas, "Come on, if you want answers, then follow me." I turn and start walking towards my burrow, not looking back to see if he's listened. If he comes, then I'll tell him why I've been banished, and if he returns to the Homestead then he's probably made the smarter decision.

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Hope you liked chapter 3! It is longer this time, as promised. I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions; what would you like to see happen with Eleanor? Are there any changes from the book/movie you would like to see in my story? I'll gladly consider all suggestions :)


	4. Chapter 4

Second update in less than 24 hours?! You guys should be pretty proud of me. I want to thank you as always for clicking on my story and giving it a read. I really like this chapter, so I hope you do too.

Side-Note (I added this to chapter 1 for new readers, but for those who might have missed it, I wanted to post it again here): In my story, the set-up of the Glade is slightly different than the book. The Homestead is still in the Northwest corner, but in the Northeast corner are the animal pens, and Tree Grove is instead in the Southeastern corner. I picture the Tree Grove to turn into the forest where the Deadheads lie and Eleanor's burrow hide-away is right in the middle hidden in the trees. The Deadheads and the Map Room remain the same as the book. And, of course, the Box is still right in the middle.

Review Response:

BookRain – Thanks for your review! I will try and fit in your request, possibly next chapter ;) Hope you like this chapter too.

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We Are The Cure

Chapter 4: Lonely & Unforgiveable

 _Thomas POV_

Her name is Eleanor, and she is real, just like I knew she was. She is obviously a teenager, like me, and is possibly sixteen or seventeen. Eleanor has green - no hazel - colored eyes and wavy blonde locks of hair that goes all the way to the bottom of her back. She is only three or four inches shorter than me, but her hands are small and delicate-looking, despite being a bit dirty and calloused from her time in the Glade. I wonder how long she has been here. In fact, I have a lot of questions for Eleanor, which is why when she asks me to follow her I don't hesitate in doing so. I've been waiting for someone to give me some damn answers since I arrived in this strange place, and I'm not going to miss my chance now.

She moves silently through the woods, something I thought was impossible up until this moment. I feel like a noisy idiot stumbling after her in the dark. My feet are crunching over leaves and cracking twigs and kicking rocks with each step to keep up with her. She turns back at one point and gestures for me to be quiet. I'd apologize, but that would be making more noise. A moment later, she stops.

I hear her suck in a slow, deep breath, and she tilts her head to look at me sideways, "This is going to sound weird, but I live in here." She gestures to a dark hole in the ground by her feet that I hadn't noticed before. "I'd invite you in, but it's a pretty tight squeeze."

"You live…" I repeat slowly, trying to wrap my mind around what she just said, "…in a dark hole in the ground?"

"Uh-huh," She nods in confirmation. Then she clarifies, "Well, not in the hole, exactly, but in a burrow that actually sits inside the hollow of that tree over there." She runs her hands through her long hair, and I wonder if she's nervous to be talking to me, or maybe she's embarrassed about the way I reacted to her home. Who am I to judge where she lives? It's not like she chose to be here – in the Glade. When I don't comment, she continues, "I left the Homestead a little over ten months ago, and I came out here to the woods. It was my choice to leave…." She fidgets some more with her hair and her fingers as she talks, "Things were complicated. I needed a break. But when I was ready to come back, Alby wouldn't let me. He said it was better if I stayed. He and Linc helped build me the burrow, and then Alby said that if I came back to the Homestead he'd…well, he'd exile me in the Maze like he did to Ben tonight."

Her explanation only gives me more questions, but I don't want to ambush the girl. I decide to take things slow, "You've been out here alone for ten months? How did you survive? Where do you get the food?" Okay, so maybe I don't know how to go easy on a person. I'll have to work on that.

"Linc takes care of me," Eleanor explains, and I try and picture which Glader Linc is. He's a Builder, I think, but I can't be sure which one. "He was just here. I thought you were him, but obviously you aren't. You must have just missed him. He's my best friend in this place, the only person looking out for me." She doesn't sound sad about it, but it makes me sorry for her. She shouldn't have to be alone in a place like this.

"I don't mean to pry," I warn her, "But what made Alby tell you that you couldn't go back with the others?" I can tell I've made her uncomfortable when she looks to the ground and rubs the back of her neck with one hand.

"Like I said," She mumbles, "it's complicated."

"Yeah, sorry," I nod, wishing I could take back my stupid question, "I totally understand."

She doesn't say anything else and neither do I, so we stand and blink and breathe. Eleanor steps closer to me suddenly, and even though the only light comes from the moon shining through the treetops, I can see her quite clearly. She's very pretty. I inhale sharply when her fingertips brush against the skin of my neck. "Does it hurt?" Her almond-shaped eyes flash up to mine and unless I'm mistaken I think she's blushing.

I shake my head, "No." But it's a lie. My neck still aches from Ben choking me and my voice is slightly hoarse and raspy. I don't know why I didn't say that. I suppose I don't want her to think I'm weak. She did have to save me today. If I hadn't been so caught off guard, I'd like to think I could have defended myself better, but maybe Ben was so full of rage I'd have always been at a disadvantage. Maybe the Changing made him stronger somehow? Or else I'm not toughened up from living in the Glade like the others. I'm going to have to prove myself.

"Sometimes the medicine for the Changing works like a charm," Eleanor explains, almost like she knew what I was thinking, "Other times it doesn't, and the madness seeps in. It helps if they get the shot right after being stung; the longer the venom is inside them without being treated the more the poison takes its effect. If it settles in the brain for too long, there's no coming back from that. We've had others go mad before." The corners of her lips turn up ever so slightly, and I'm not sure if she's trying to smile or what. "If it hadn't been you, Ben would have attacked someone else during a fit. It wasn't your fault, him being exiled."

"I guess so," I agree with her, but I still can't forget the sound of Ben screaming and pleading for us not to push him into the Maze, not to let him die. Is he still alive right now, looking for a way out? Or did the Grievers get to him already? I don't want to think about it.

I thought she'd forgotten about my too personal question when she starts telling me, "I was the second delivery the Box dropped off in the Glade. When I got here, seven had already died, and the other eight nearly starved to death. I was delivered with food supplies; seeds to grow our own fruits and vegetables and grains, and food to last us until the next delivery. The next month, we got a cow, and the month after that a pig. It was pretty clear we were supposed to start some sort of community here, so we did. We divided up the chores: digging, planting, watering, chopping, building. I'm sure you've been given the run-down on how things are now, but back then we all shared the chores. Nick was our leader, and things were different." Eleanor settles her back against a tree and leans into a comfortable position as she speaks, telling me the story of the first Gladers. I lean against the tree standing opposite to her, although it's not as comfortable as she makes it look. "Alby was different back then too. He wasn't so serious. Becoming the leader after Nick put the weight of the whole camp on his shoulders, every life in his hand, and the pressure changed him." She nibbles on her bottom lip nervously before confessing, "I guess I probably changed him too."

A light goes off in my head and I take a guess, "You and Alby? You were…together?"

From her tone, I think she figured out my surprise, "Yeah, well, back then he was a gentler, kinder Alby. He had a soft spot for me, and I needed somebody to lean on in this scary place. I was here two months and both the greenies after me didn't make it. I thought we were all put here to die. Alby gave me hope that wasn't true. He said we were here for a purpose and we'd figure a way out. We were friends first, for a long time. Then…" Almost like she catches herself getting too personal again, she coughs and stutters, "we-we were suddenly more. I don't even really remember when it happened. To make a long story short, I was happy for a while, but I got too comfortable. I slipped up, big-time, and then that's when I needed a break and came out here to think for a while. At first, Alby begged me to come back, said he'd do anything, but I didn't want to listen to reason. I-I made a terrible mistake. I did something unforgiveable. And that's why he banished me."

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 _Eleanor's POV_

I don't know why I'm spilling my guts to the green bean like some sort of demented wort-vomiting robot. I want to stop talking, but every time I tell myself I'm going to shut up, more words start pouring out. _What the heck is wrong with me?_ I mean, he really wanted answers, but he wasn't asking any questions and here I was telling him all my secrets. Well, not _all_ my secrets, because some are not only unforgiveable but unspeakable.

"He was still wrong," Thomas says, and I blink twice in confusion.

"Huh?"

"To banish you," Thomas clarifies. "I mean, just because you didn't want to be with him anymore, or needed some time, that doesn't give him the right to kick you out. He should have accepted your decision and tried to move on."

Spoken like someone who has no idea what they're talking about. I can't blame him though, since he doesn't know the whole truth. "You don't understand," I shake my head, "What I did was wrong, and I don't blame him for not wanting to see me. It's why I haven't gone back after all this time. I deserve to be alone, Thomas."

"If that's true then why does Linc still visit you? Why does he bring you food and look out for you? Obviously what you did doesn't deserve ten months of punishment. It's not like you killed someone." Thomas falters before asking hesitantly, "You didn't kill someone, right?"

"No," I murmur, "But I may as well have."

"I don't know what that's supposed to mean," Thomas shrugs, "I still think you've probably suffered enough. Just come back with me, Eleanor. What's the worst that could happen?"

It's sweet of him to try and coax me back to the Homestead, but I just can't go back there, not without Alby's approval. "We could both end up exiled in the Maze, that's the worst that could happen, and I don't want you getting caught in the middle of my problems. Just follow the rules and keep your head down, Thomas. Pretend you never came here, that I don't exist. Whatever you do, don't bring up my name to Alby, all right?"

Thomas looks as if he might argue with me, but he winds up holding his tongue. His shoulders drop down in a defeated slouch and he nods, "All right, fine. I was never here." He stares at me for a long while through squinted eyes before vowing, "When I find a way out of this place though, and I will find a way out, I'm coming back for you."

Linc said almost the exact same thing to me seven months ago, and Alby six months before that, but I hold on to hope that maybe this time, this boy will keep his promise. I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear and smile shyly, "I'll remember you said that."

Thomas smiles back. "It's the least I could do. You saved my life, so I'll save yours. Then we can call it even."

"Sounds like a deal," I agree. My feet suddenly feel achy and my back is beginning to hurt, and I consider how long we've been standing here talking. It must be after midnight by now. "You really should get back, Thomas. People might notice the green bean's gone missing."

"You're not going to start calling me that too, are you?" He asks with a sigh.

"No," I chuckle. What would he think if I told him it was me who started the 'Green Bean' tradition? Oh, maybe another time. If he really comes back for me, and gets me out of the Glade, then maybe I'll tell him the rest of my secrets…if he wants to know, that is.

I wave and start to crouch down so I can make the crawl into my burrow. I pause when I hear, "Can I come back and see you again?"

I feel my face flush and I tell myself to not even go there, especially not after everything with Alby. Besides, there's no way Thomas would be interested in me, and if he was it would only be because I'm the only girl here. He probably just wants to come ask some more questions since he knows I'll answer them. Maybe the other Gladers aren't accepting him, who knows? All I know is that I can't let my hormones take over again, not like last time. I have to keep my feelings in check. We're teens trapped in a Glade in the middle of a deadly maze; this isn't Romance Island. I close my eyes and shake my head.

"It's not a good idea," I finally warn him against returning. I don't look up to see if he's disappointed, and he doesn't say anything else. I hear his retreating footsteps and quickly enter my burrow. I climb into my hammock, curl up on my side, and pretend I don't feel as lonely as I am.

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There's chapter 4! Please let me know your thoughts in the little review box below. It would be greatly appreciated! Thanks again for reading, and follow along if you want to see more.


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